WTF Annabeth

Chapter 15

Hermione

The music and festivities stopped as we entered the room. I would like to think that the mark that Selina had given me made me so profoundly beautiful that all had to stop and stare, but it was probably because half of us were drenched in troll blood.

"Sorry we are late guys, we had to stop and kill a troll. Just passing through." Harry said.

"We got twenty-five house points for it." I said.

"Better be thirty, I want my points too!" Selina said, "Now, where are the showers? And what is a house point?"

"Right this way." Annabeth answered and led Selina and myself across the common room and to the girls side as she explained house points to her. We got almost there when the applause started and I couldn't help but smile. It was nice being a hero I think.

"You will come back down and tell us about it won't you?" George or Fred asked.

"Certainly, but let us get cleaned up first" Selina smiled. Damn. Her eyes even twinkled when she smelled like poop and was covered in monster blood. If she wasn't so nice I would hate her. Of course she did threaten to stab me in the face, but I like to think the fight bonded us. She seemed pleased that I didn't run out on her when I had the chance and later when retelling the story made a point of telling everyone of my bravery. That was nice of her.

Even nicer was the hot shower, lots of soap, and washing the troll blood from me. Oh, and apparently I had hips and boobies now. I rather hoped that was the permanent part of the mark Selina mentioned. Yay! Boobies!

I had no more formal wear, and even after the cleaning spell I didn't want to put my dress back on as it had recently been covered in troll blood. I would send it to the house elves to clean and hope they boiled it. Two or three times.

Annabeth was in the first year girl's common room waiting for us when I came down., I had tried to put on casual cloths but my jeans wouldn't button anymore, and seemed a bit short, so I wore sweats and a tee from the trunk under my bed which were a little snug but looked quite good I thought. Annabeth had yoga pants and a tee, so she was casual too and that made me more comfortable about rejoining the festivities.

"Didn't feel like wearing your gown anymore? You looked quite beautiful by the way." Annabeth asked.

"Troll blood."

"Don't you know the cleaning spell yet?" she asked.

"Yes, I cast it, successfully. Still, troll blood." I giggled. "And none of my jeans fit for some reason."

"I know what you mean. That was one of the grosser monsters I've fought. Wait, your jeans don't fit? Did Selina do her Aphrodite magic on you?" She laughed back.

"Yes, why? Can you really tell?"

"Yes, and don't worry, there is a spell towards the back of our charms text that will take care of your clothes. If I had not found it after Aphrodite's curse I would only be able to wear the clothes I bought in Vegas and school robes."

"Uh, is that a normal thing at your camp? I mean, fighting monsters like that, not the clothes thing." I asked.

"Well the woods are stocked and we go there and practice against monsters, but usually nothing as bad as that was. The boys did well didn't they? I wish I had a sword with me."

"Yes! I couldn't believe Ron was able to hold it up! That was startling! I just knew I was dead!"

"That was pretty amazing... Hermione, are you still upset with Rue? I know he would never intentionally hurt you." Annabeth asked.

"No, Selina and I talked, I totally misread the situation. Honestly, I adore him, but Ron... well, he was really awesome holding that troll up! I would have been crushed to death without him."

"That's very true. Oh look, the princess has arrived!" Annabeth said with a grin as Selina came down the stairs to our living room. She was wearing jeans and a sweater top with a simple string of pearls, and looked positively graceful and smashing.

"You girls ready to go break some hearts?" She smiled.

"Let's do this!" Annabeth nearly shouted.

"I can't. I will get stabbed in the face if I break the wrong one." I grinned, and with that Selina laughed and my fear disappeared completely.

We arrived in the common room to find Harry, Ron and Percy already holding court with the other first years, as well as several others who were interested in how we killed the troll. Every eye in the room was on us though as we walked in, and not just Selina and Annabeth. Several of the boys from our class and the others walked their eyes all over me. It was both affirming and creepy.

I was still without a date, but it didn't bother me. Ron seemed to have lost interest in Pavarti and she with him so he was usually found near me as the evening progressed. We laughed, danced, enjoyed everyone's company and had to tell of the fight with the troll over and over again. Percy, Ron's brother Percy, announced that by his calculation we were now ahead in House Cup points, and this led to cheers all around and congratulations. Selina taught us some line dance steps, explained something called "freaking" and we made spectacles of ourselves for the next hour. It made feel weird to have Ron's hands on my hips as he danced behind me, but it was a good kind of weird. I doubt anyone noticed as Harry and Selina were the stars of the night.

Of course I figured that Annabeth, Harry and Percy would cost us as many house cup points as we had gained in the coming weeks, but tonight we celebrated!

Taking a break from revelry, we found two couches empty except for the twins that had a coffee table between them. Ron, Harry and Percy fetched refreshments as the three of us cooled off. Pavarti and Eloise were with us as well, and soon the rest of the first years gathered around, and we made small talk until the boys returned with a tray of drinks.

"So, tell us about SPEW" George said. Or Fred, I can't really tell them apart.

"Oh, its the Society for Promotion of Elven Welfare, why do you ask?" Annabeth replied.

"Okay, Why do you need to learn to fight to promote elven welfare?" the same twin asked, then added "We heard you in the grand hall talking about it. We want in."

"Uh, that's supposed to be secret. You shouldn't eaves drop mate." Ron said.

"We weren't, we heard Annabeth and Miss... I'm sorry I don't know your name.'

"Selina. Selina Beauregard." Selina replied with her devastating smile and twinkly eyes.

"Right, and Miss Beauregard talking about it. Look" he whispered, "Defense against the dark arts hasn't taught us anything useful in two years, now going on three. Rumor is there is a war coming, we want to be ready. We can keep a secret, but, well if it will teach you to kill a mountain troll, it can teach you to beat a death eater."

We all looked around at each other and nodded, then Eloise announced "Meet us outside the door of the grand hall half way through the lunch hour tomorrow. Do not bring anyone else. We'll let you try it, but if you ever talk, Annabeth will"

"Stab you in the face." I added bluntly. It was too good of a threat to not reuse.

"And first time there, you have to fight. Its a rule." Fay added.

"It will be my first time too." Selina said, and that was the first time several people in first year learned that Selina would be with us for the weekend. The girls didn't care for it, but the boys were quite enthralled.

"I'll go easy on you." George said.

"You might not want to do that" said Harry.

"Oh? Why not?'

"Because you might end up in the morgue rather than just the hospital. I've seen her fight." Ron grinned, and those of us that had fought the troll all laughed.

This began yet another retelling of the fight, with George, Fred and the first years that were not there asking some very good tactical oriented questions along the way.

After the story, someone, Lavender I think, said "That is probably the fastest anyone has ever killed a mountain troll."

"It would have been faster if we all had swords, or stronger spells. We did okay though. You know, everyone needs a bag with that charm on it, the 'indictable extension charm?' I'm guessing the arms in the room we used could be carried that way by everyone of us."

"So, what is stopping you?" one of the twins asked.

"Uh, we need the satchels, they need to be durable, like leather, not cloth, and we need someone to cast the spell"

"McGonagall would probably cast the spell for us." Harry said, and he was right.

"There is a leather shop at Hogsmeade" One of the twins said.

"But we can't go to Hogsmeade, and even if we could, tomorrow isn't the right Saturday." Pavarti replied.

"We can get there, but the good ones are probably a dozen knutes or so. We can go in the morning,"

Harry reached into his bag and pulled out a stack of galleons, ten or so. "This should cover everyone then, just bring them with you tomorrow for training and we'll get the rest done."

"Any particular style?" one twin asked as the other stared at the stack of galleons.

"Well the larger the opening is to begin with, the easier it is to find stuff in it, but the size doesn't otherwise matter or what it looks like. There is a concealment charm that will let you change it to any purse or book bag you like." Annabeth said.

"I just use the invisibility charm." Harry added.

"Why is that?" asked Fay.

"Uh, because I don't want to be known as 'that guy with the purse'?"

Several of the other students were beginning to mingle around us when Selina made a wonderful suggestion without knowing it. Most of the coupled upper class men were off somewhere making out by now, but our SPEW secret had already been found out by two and we didn't want to add more until we had our own training under complete control. Or until we could kick all the upper class men's asses. Same thing really.

"You know, as refreshing as this punch is, I would love some"

"Ice cream and cake?" Annabeth asked her.

"Yes! You read my mind!"

"Fortunately our dorms had kitchens that can read ours! Come on! Everyone to the... is it boys or girls night to host?"

"Boys." Eloise grinned.

"To the boys side. Come on George and Fred, you are with us whether you want to be or not now."

We moved our party upstairs where sure enough we found cake, ice cream and all matter of other refreshments waiting for us in the kitchen. The radio in the common room only played big band music for some reason, so the dancing slowed down and became much more romantic. Dean asked Pavarti to dance and Ron took that opportunity to ask me.

We really just swayed to the music, while Neville and Selina put on a show of their skills with their dates which was exhilarating. I didn't care, I just needed a moment to whisper to Ron.

"I'm sorry. I, should have said yes when you asked me, I was being stupid. And thank you." I whispered as our bodies pressed together on what passed for the dance floor.

"Thank you? For what?" He asked, looking confused.

"Saving my life dummy! You really did you know, if that troll had fallen on me I would have been crushed."

"Well... I guess that was, sort of"

"Brave, or chivalrous at least. I thought it was just awesome and it, well it sort of opened my eyes and, I've been thinking what a jerk I was to you, and, well, I'm sorry.' I said as I put my head on his shoulder so he wouldn't see how weepy I was getting.

"Pavarti and me, well, we were just going as friends, you understand?" He whispered back.

"Well Harry... I mean, I wasn't looking for a boyfriend..."

"I don't think he is looking either. Him and Selina are just"

"Shut up Ronald, I know about them. Let me finish. I, where was I?"

"Not looking for a boyfriend" He sighed.

I glanced around the room, the lights were dim and no one was paying any attention to us thanks to Selina and Annabeth's antics.

"Right. Not looking for a boyfriend. But I think I might have found one anyway." I whispered in his ear just before I kissed him on the cheek.